Infringement
by SilverSnikle
Summary: The second story in a series about Clark Luthor's decent into darkness. Part 2 of the Infected Series.
1. Chapter 1

Her skirt was too short, her top was cut too low, her heels were too high, her make-up was gaudy. Yet, she held her head high and kept her eyes level. She'd heard rumors for weeks and there was only one way to verify a source; see it with your own eyes. And that was exactly what she planned to do.

She shivered as the cool night breeze passed over her almost bare shoulders and back. Half a block to go before she would reach her destination, and if she were honest, that shiver might have had something more to do with her intentions than the actual temperature of the air. Okay, that was not true, her intentions were pure enough; it was her fantasies that made her shiver.

Her excessive make-up and scandalous outfit worked, allowing her the access she needed. She stopped at the first bar she came to, leaning against its glass top to give her feet a slight reprieve. Her cousin had the fancy taste in accessories, which came in handy for these types of situations, but she would never get used to dressing this way.

"What can I get for you?" She inclined her head toward the voice to see a young bartender smiling back at her.

"I'm fine, thanks." He shrugged, still smiling, and turned to help another patron.

Lois and Oliver had been to this club every Friday and Saturday night for the past month. Tonight, he'd whisked her away to Star City for the weekend. The idea of a weekend trip away with just a guy made Chloe blush. She'd spent too much of her time chasing stories to chase many boys.

"I'll take a double shot of Ketel One, and a glass of champagne for the lady."

Chloe didn't dare turn her head; she couldn't even shift her eyes. That voice was unmistakable. She heard that voice almost every night in her dreams, the ones before she actually fell asleep. It was deep, and level, and held a power about it like no other voice she'd ever heard. Suddenly she wanted to know if he ever sang, visions of him with slicked back hair throwing around an old metal microphone danced in her head; something told her if he did it would break her heart.

A finger gently slipped under her chin, pulling her face up, her eyes following. She smiled, knowing it didn't reach her eyes. She was mortified, although why, she wasn't sure. There was no way for him to know her intentions. But again, it was her fantasies that were embarrassing.

He offered her the glass of bubbly gold liquid left by the same young bartender from earlier and she accepted.

"Thank you." She lifted the glass to her lips and welcomed the burn that ran down her throat. She focused on the intensity of the carbonation sliding downward toward her stomach. Feeling that physical heat helped to keep her mind clear. If he was planning on standing this close to her for long, she was going to need many more glasses of courage.

He settled onto the stool next to where she was still leaning on the glass top of the bar and cocked his head to the side. Chloe tried to decide if she should follow suit and bounce up onto the stool behind her, but then a hand was on her waist, pulling her. His thighs were spread, hers pressed up against them. He was wearing that famous smile, the one plastered all over the papers and magazines. She didn't like it. She'd once seen his real smile, and she knew she'd do most anything to see it again. A shudder ran through her, and she bit her lip. _Damned fantasies_.

"Damned air conditioner." Her words were barely even a mumble.

"You just need to move around," He seemed to think about it, his eyes narrowing dangerously, "Or drink more. I suggest a merger of the two." And then he smiled, the real one that twisted her gut. She had to force her legs to keep standing.

"I think it's very interesting, you seemed only too happy to let your siblings front the party life for the family. Until recently. Care to share?" She pushed out her chin and raised an eyebrow, waiting. He obviously remembered her from his party. He had to remember that she worked at the Daily Planet, that she was a reporter just looking for a headline. Part of her worried he'd glare at her, push her away, and leave her there alone. But then, somewhere deep inside, the idea of him man-handling her was all too enticing.

"Guess I finally realized I was missing out." His lips shifted back into their practiced smile, and he broke eye-contact, scanning the crowd. He was slipping away, back to his rehearsed show. She couldn't help but feel a tinge of disappointment.

"Seems you've turned into quite the ladies' man." Her heart twisted at her own words. He was not hers, there was no reason for her pain. Still, she ached at the thought of him pleasing himself with the help of some random woman. And that's what it would be. Pleasing himself. She didn't deny the truth that he didn't care about pleasing anyone else. He was a Luthor. Selfish.

"Sounds like you're here on business." He ordered another shot and with his head still turned toward the bartender, he let his eyes focus on her. His eyes were smiling, whether his lips wanted to be honest or not. "Don't you ever party for real? Or do you have to have an excuse to talk yourself into looking sexy and showing off your true talents?"

Her jaw dropped, and her eyes were so wide she momentarily worried they might just pop out into her champagne flute. And then she recovered, as quickly as if nothing had changed. She knew he'd seen it though, her honest reaction. She didn't appreciate the comment. She knew she was very talented. How many seventeen year olds do you know who graduate high school early and get an internship at the number one newspaper in the country? Something told her his word choice was meant to get a reaction. She thought about correcting him, letting him know that the word he was looking for was most likely 'assets', but decided against it. She didn't exactly want to end this, whatever it was.

"I'm a busy girl." She turned abruptly, setting her glass on the bar and leaning into the glass top again for support. Selfish. It was also what she was being now. In all honesty, it was the sole reason she was here. A chance to live out even a fraction of one of those many fantasies.

"Girl huh? Could've fooled me." He leaned forward, his solid chest pressing against her arm, his lips inches from her ear. His words made her flesh burn. It had been a compliment, whether he had meant it that way or not, that was how she was choosing to see it. "Finish that drink, and I'll show you what you've missed since our last meeting."

...

Somewhere between buying her a drink and attempting to insult her, Clark realized there was something alluring about Lois's cousin. She had caught his attention at the birthday party, even if his interacting with her had been more to upset his father. There had been something about her that pulled him in. So much so that he had gone after her wearing the red kryptonite ring. That was all before her cousin had made a grand entrance onto the balcony and into his life.

After the tall beauty had dragged her cousin away from him, she had been all he could think about. Lois Lane was the sole object of his desire. He had spent the better part of his free time devising a plan to win her affections.

Upon first spotting the blonde cousin at the bar, Clark had moved toward her in hopes to find Lois. He had taken a closer look at Chloe's appearance and realized that she was on a mission. He was a very perceptive person. It didn't take him any longer than downing his shot to realize why she was there. He had made certain that Lois had watched him leaving the clubs with countless blondes. The plan was to make her jealous. She had taken his actions to mean something different, and then evidently told Chloe her theory.

So while conversing with Chloe after buying her a drink, Clark thought maybe a new plan should be implemented. What would make a girl more jealous than sleeping with her roommate/cousin/best friend? By the looks of her, Chloe wasn't going to argue. He had been about to kiss her on that balcony, and he'd be damned if he wasn't going to get that kiss, and more.

He watched her swallow the last drops of her champagne and grabbed her small hand. He was careful not to walk too fast, mindful of her insanely high heels. He wanted her to be on her feet for a long time; twisting her ankle wouldn't help further his purpose.

...

Chloe was dizzy, her legs jelly, her feet pounding for release. She excused herself to the ladies' room, and he walked her to the door. Something told her he was standing right outside it, waiting. The thought both terrified and intrigued her. He hadn't been more than a few feet away from her since he'd come to her at the bar.

She pulled up the short skirt and sank onto the cool porcelain, thankful to be off her feet. Lois's shoes were gorgeous, and they'd done wonders for Chloe's slightly shorter legs, but damn they hurt! She sighed as she slipped her heels out and let the pumps dangle on her toes. She stayed that way for what had to have been a full five minutes. Her mind was numb as her body raged, angry at the abuse she'd pushed it through on the dance floor.

"You okay, Blondie?" She rolled her eyes as his voice broke into her daze. Of course he didn't understand personal space. She exhaled and attempted to slip her feet back into the heels.

"Trying to figure out which of these perfumes I should use, that's all." Taking off the shoes had proven a bad idea, it seemed her feet had swollen and now the shoes were a full size too small. She winced as she stepped gingerly toward the row of sinks to wash her hands, cursing the blisters that were already swelling up, and the ones she knew where yet to come.

"Please don't. I like your citrus body wash just fine." She stopped applying her lip gloss, the stick still pressed to the center of her lips. How could he pick up on her body wash in a place full of awful smells like this? She shook her head and finished her task, tossing the tube back into her clutch. Maybe he'd noticed it the first time they met and assumed she was still using the same one. That required her to believe that not only had he paid that much attention to her on their first meeting, but that he had cared enough to remember it. She rolled her eyes at herself. Not possible.

He was leaning back against the wall, next to the door, when she exited, and he pulled her to him. Her breath left her lungs and she forgot to refill them for a few moments.

"I wondered if you'd show up again." He lightly ran a finger down her face and pushed a strand of hair behind her ear. She didn't dare let herself indulge the idea that he was talking about what she hoped he was. "I'm glad you did."

For a moment Chloe wondered if he'd expected her to use the bathroom as an escape. But really, she knew better. If he was in fact referring to her coming out to find him, he had a point; she'd had no plans to find him, initially. Not until Lois had come home tipsy one night, blabbing about the younger Luthor boy's dramatic change. That had piqued Chloe's interest. The girl did have a tendency to see his smile when she closed her eyes at night.

_"And the weird part?" 'Cause for Lois to be telling a story there had to be a 'weird part,' "he only arrives, dances, or leaves with blondes. And not just any blondes, golden blondes." She paused there, plopping onto the couch and beginning an attempt at taking off her strappy heals. "Like you! Mostly short hair; the longest I personally have seen was just past the girl's shoulders." Lois dropped her shoes to the floor and her head back against the couch staring pointedly at Chloe._

Chloe let herself be dragged back toward the dance floor, even though she was pretty sure her feet were literally bleeding by now. It was a soft, sensual song. So far any time a slower song had been played he'd dragged them to the bar for another drink. Now he seemed in a hurry to get back on the floor. Finally stopping, he pulled her close, pressing their bodies together from shoulders to knees. Well, from her shoulders to his knees. He was so doggone tall, even with her in Lois's heels.

His breath tickled her ear as he whispered against her hair. "I know you are not used to those shoes. Why are you torturing yourself still?" He was swaying her gently in time with the music, her cheek pressed against his firm chest.

She smacked playfully at him, and smiled. "What are you trying to say?"

"I'm not going to stick around here much longer." Chloe reflexively tightened her arms around his neck. She was nowhere near ready for this night to end. If it meant blisters and bruises on her feet, so be it.

"But I was just starting to really enjoy myself." She pulled her cheek off his chest just long enough to give him her perfectly practiced pout. She didn't miss the small change in his eyes before he blinked them back to normal. She was getting good at that.

"I never said anything about ending your fun." He let out a short laugh and his chest rumbled slightly.

"Don't think you'll be too easy to replace." Her words were mumbled, but he evidently picked up on them just fine.

"Who said anything about having to replace me? I was hoping you might be ready to go as well?" The song came to a finish, but he made no move to change their position. His request was as obvious to her as red ink on a first draft.

Chloe simply nodded against him, smiling. She had no idea where this night might lead, but she was sure going to find out. She was freshman in college at seventeen, and already interning for the Planet. She was way mature for her age! She could handle a Friday night out on the town in Metropolis with Clark Luthor.

…

As he walked through the crowds, Chloe's hand in his, Clark focused on the task at hand. He was only doing this for the results it should produce. The lightness that seemed to swell in his chest had to be from thoughts of what was to come later, pun intended. Taking girls back to his loft was nothing unusual. He left the clubs with a different girl almost every night. This was no different. Except for the fact that Chloe was his ticket to getting Lois's attention, she meant nothing.

He forced a smile on his face, ignoring the way his stomach twisted at that last thought. Now was not the time for him to waver in his devotion. He would not let his random human emotions get in the way of his prize. Chloe would serve her purpose and then be out of his life.

Her fingers tightened around his and he glanced over at her. Her chin was level, her eyes focused ahead as they stepped out into the night. He could tell already that she was a strong woman. She was independent and proud. He let the knowledge that she had come looking for him with her own selfish intentions quell his slight unease.


	2. Chapter 2

Chloe sat on the soft leather sofa with her feet curled up under her, the short skirt not quite reaching mid-thigh. The same question flashed through her mind on repeat. What was she doing here? Granted, this _is_ where she had wanted to end up; at least a very small part had intended that. Oh, who was she kidding? Why else would she have hi-jacked Lois's closet and sneaked into a club? But she was fast realizing that fantasizing about a situation and having that fantasy become a reality were two very different concepts. The process of meeting him at the club, dancing endlessly, and then rushing off back to his place had all happened so quickly that she hadn't had time to think. Now that she did, she had no idea what she was doing.

Clark walked back into the room holding two glasses and offered Chloe one as he sat, the far side of the couch succumbing to his weight. She took the drink and stared silently at the clear liquid it held. Internally she argued that she should drink, if only to loosen up a little. Something about this tall, dark haired god stiffened her muscles. Then there was the fact that she could barely think, let alone make coherent conversation. Chloe was a woman of action, she was a pro at improvisation. The feeling of insecurity was foreign. But she'd had a few drinks back at the club, and though she was no longer feeling the effects of those, she still hesitated.

"It's just water." He smiled at her, and she couldn't help but wish it were just a tad more challenging. Water? Really? She had thought him to be the epitome of a particular Brittany Spears song. He was certainly doing a number on her assumptions that he fit the bill of womanizer. Then again, did she really want him treating her the way she had expected; like just another floozy? Or even trying to play her into thinking she was different? She took a sip from her glass, and sure enough- "I do have something a little more, adventurous." The lilt in his voice made her heart flutter. He was smoothly slipping into the character that she had been expecting.

"No. Water is great." With his settling in to his role, she made a last minute decision. If anything were to happen tonight, she wanted it to be on her terms. Besides, she really wanted to remember every detail. Since the few drinks she'd had back at the club were wearing off, water was good. Water was perfect.

...

Clark sat his glass on the coffee table and twisted around to face Chloe. There was no repudiating that she was certainly something to be desired. He let the corner of his lips rise as his eyes slid over her. Yes, definitely agreeable to the eyes, and other parts of his anatomy. He couldn't stop himself from entertaining thoughts of her in his large bed, not that he would deprive himself of such creative visions. Neither would he attempt to deprive himself of assuaging those curiosities.

He'd wanted something to happen when he had begun frequenting Oliver's favorite club, but this was far better than anything he himself could have planned. Taking home blondes night after night in front of Lois had apparently not made her jealous. She was apparently a bit slower than he had initially given her credit for. He had, after all, stared her down as he exited with each girl wrapped around him. Lois had, however, noticed. Though she had misinterpreted his actions, she had sent him the one opportunity - or girl, that was sure to manifest jealousy.

"Let's not play games." He leaned forward, artfully placing a large hand next to her shoulder on the back of the couch. With his head tilted forward, their faces inches apart, he opened his mouth to continue speaking. He found his words were cut off by Chloe's lips pressed against his. They were soft, warm, and inviting.

He quickly recovered from the initial shock and kissed her back, smiling against her. She seemed to know what she wanted, and wasn't in the mood for games either. Who was he to argue or deny her anything? Especially if he wanted the same things. He mentally reminded himself to thank Lois later for sending him Chloe. The kissing alone was well worth the long con.

Clark was used to being the aggressor. Most girls, though most would never openly admit it, loved being dominated. If he were honest, which he rarely was (even with himself), he didn't mind being pushed around so much either. So when Chloe pushed at his shoulders and climbed into his lap, he simply let himself fall back and held on to her hips. She sent a chill through him, running her hands down his still clothed chest, letting them rest on his abs. He naturally slid a hand up and around the back of her shoulder to pull her closer. Just before letting go of coherent thoughts he decided maybe a gift basket would be a better 'thank you' to Lois than simply voicing the words.

...

Chloe was not innocent; she really wasn't. She'd had her handful of interested guys throughout the years. Once, when she'd first gotten the internship at The Planet, she'd met the sweetest boy, Jimmy. After a work party one night they'd gotten a little physical, and when things had started to escalate, she had let them. Thanks to that experience, she knew 'sweet' wasn't exactly what she was wanting.

Part of her was surprised and more than a little disappointed that Clark wasn't being more aggressive. Though, he seemed plenty excited, so she figured she was doing fine. It wasn't as if he were just laying back, letting her do all the work. He was just letting her lead. She wondered if he just played the tough guy role in public. She realized his submission was only serving to turn her on more. She was reminded of how different he'd been during their initial meeting.

He had seemed almost sweet, and Chloe had honestly been shocked by his demeanor. He hadn't treated her with disdain as she had expected. He'd tried to make her more comfortable. Then later in the night he had grabbed her and dragged her out onto the balcony, a small cake in his free hand. He was almost a different person on the balcony. There had been nothing sweet about the way he'd stared at her lips when he had fed her a bite of that cake. Lois showing up at that moment had been pure torture. Chloe was certain he'd been about to kiss her, and now she knew exactly what she'd missed out on. She needed to tell Lois all was forgiven for her initial bad timing.

Chloe had tried to forget about that 'almost' experience, knowing for certain he had, and focus on school and her articles. But she had started to feel lonely, for the first time in ... ever. When it became a possibility that maybe he hadn't forgotten, that he was focusing his attention on only blondes at the clubs, she'd relented. So far, that had been the best decision of her life.

...

As Clark hefted the jaunty blonde onto his hips and carried her down the hall to his room, he was having trouble remembering why he liked a certain brunette so much. Of course, he'd had quite a few blondes (and brunettes) in his bed recently, but this one was something else. She stirred something inside him that both terrified and intrigued him. He decided it had to be a shared family trait and stopped attempting to think clearly. By the time he had laid her gently back onto his comforter and stretched out over her, Clark was no longer concerned with anything outside of the disposal of all clothing.

...

Chloe pulled the sheet tight, tucking it under her chin and snuggling into the warmth behind her. Her eyes shot open, and she lifted her head to look around the unfamiliar room. As a large arm encircled her waist and pulled her tight against a hard warmth, she relaxed, her memory flooding with the previous night.

After they, herself in particular, were worn out she had fully expect Clark to make some tepid excuse and push her unceremoniously out his front door. Instead, he'd dragged her into his shower and then back to his bed. Falling asleep must have happened immediately, because she couldn't remember lying there. She smiled when Clark pressed his face into her hair and mumbled incoherently.

This was a first. Waking up in a strange bed with a man, both of them naked, wasn't something Chloe had any experience in. His even, steady breaths in her hair let her know he was still soundly sleeping. His muscles quivered as he tightened his arm around her again. She decided to snuggle further into his hold and let herself drift back to sleep; it was Saturday after all. And she was still tired. She could worry about it all later.

...

Clark could smell vanilla, and citrus. He smiled and wrapped a leg around the small warm body in his arms. And then he stiffened. Waking up to warm bodies, other than his own, in his bed after sun up was not something he let happen. He slid his eyes open and studied the mess of golden curls on his pillow. He rolled his eyes at himself and gently removed his limbs from her body. He didn't want to wake her yet. He needed to think.

Outside his room he shut the door gently and made his way down the hall to his guest bath, thankful again that his father had supplied him his own loft for school. After relieving himself, he rested on the arm of his couch for a moment to gather his thoughts. Lately, he lived life like a game of chess, always planning his next three moves. This wasn't exactly an exception. Life had simply done something he had not anticipated. The end-game remained the same: attain Lois's affections. Either convince her Oliver was not the man for her, or make them both suffer. Chloe was the perfect pawn. He decidedly ignored the pang of guilt that sliced through his abdomen; he could not afford emotion. This was strategy, nothing else. It was nothing personal against the angelic body he had defiled.

He did not care about this - Chloe; he would not allow himself to care about her, he could not. Distractions were also something he could not afford. Therefore, the decision to run down the street to his favorite bakery for coffee and bagels to serve her in bed was _not_ impulsive. No matter what fleeting, obscure predilection he may have been experiencing, his actions were simply to reassure the illusion.

He used his inhuman speed to quickly acquire bagels and two coffees. Not knowing how she would prefer her coffee, he also filled a bag with flavored creamers and sugar while he let himself ponder over this woman. There was certainly an attraction between himself and Chloe, that fact could not be denied. His desire to be near her, to touch her surprised even himself. In the past, girls he brought home were tossed out once he felt fulfilled. Last night, in a moment of contentment, he had not given her the option to leave.

The memory of running water, their bodies pressed together, and her mouth against his made his pulse quicken. Clark tried to remember the last time he had flashed back to being with a partner after the fact. All he could come up with was more of last night. It was as if their union had erased his memory of every other encounter. That obviously wasn't actually the case. If he focused he could remember pressing up against a bright blue-eyed blonde in his hallway last weekend. But as he pushed to remember more details, her face would blur into that of the woman still softly snoring in his bed. He wasn't even aware of the ridiculous smile plastered on his face until a barista sweeping off the patio commented that he must have had a good night. The young man winked at Clark and Clark simply tipped his head with a laugh._  
_  
Back in his kitchen, he arranged it all on a tray, previously part of the decor, and walked carefully back down his hallway. If he wanted this new plan to work, he needed Chloe to believe he had fallen for her, and hard. He had not - of course - and would not. He definitely wasn't smiling a _genuine_ smile as he pushed the bedroom door open with his shoulder and saw her eyes still closed, her breaths even. He could not afford sincerity, it was all a show.

Even when he sat the tray on the bedside table, sitting carefully on his bed next to her, and reached out to move back a blonde ringlet from her face, it was not impromptu nor admiration- no. It was a simply a calculated move. And that tight feeling in his chest, well, he'd heard his father complain of heartburn, maybe Kryptonians could get a version of that.

She moved, pressing her cheek into the palm of his hand, and he pulled away. It was time to wake her. With a gentle hand on her shoulder he shook her carefully. She made an attempt to roll over away from him, but he held her.

"Morning, Sleepy." His voice was quiet, and deep, but her eyes fluttered open. She smiled up at him, almost shyly, and closed her eyes again. "I brought you bagels, and coffee."

At the mention of coffee she opened her eyes again, this time wide, and her smile brightened. Clark's lips didn't turn up at the corners as a response to her electric smile, but he couldn't deny the feeling of pride at causing said smile. He helped her into a sitting position before handing her the coffee and accompanying bag of randomness.

"I wasn't sure how you like yours, so I grabbed a bit of everything." He grabbed the tray and placed it between them. Distance was a good thing.

...

"You didn't have to do all this. I could have grabbed something on my way home." She immediately regretted that last sentence. She made it sound as if she_ wanted_ to go home, even preferred it. Here he'd done the absolute sweetest thing possible, and she'd acted as if she'd wanted none of it. "I mean, I'm sure you have plans for the day. I wouldn't want to get in your way." She blinked and stared into the darkness of her coffee. She blamed her idiocy on the lack of caffeine in her system. She typically excelled in all things lingual.

"Actually. I don't have anything specific planned today." She watched as he spread cream cheese onto half of his cinnamon bagel and took a bite. His mouth was mesmerizing as he chewed. Her eyes dropped lower as he swallowed. His voice brought her eyes back up to meet his. "I usually keep my schedules pretty open on Saturdays. You?"

Chloe looked back down at her coffee; this whole situation was simply surreal. She had heard all the stories about Clark Luthor in the gossip magazines and through supposed first-hand experiences. None of them had mentioned anything about breakfast in bed, or chit-chat, or even sleeping over. She felt herself frown at her answer. "Yeah, I guess my Saturdays are pretty boring." 'Boring' was an understatement, and it sounded ridiculously lame. Shouldn't she be trying to present herself as something desirable? Instead, so far she had insulted him and admitted to being a bore.

"I have a few ideas for how we could spend the day, if you want to hear them." She picked up the other bagel as he spoke and used his knife to gather some cream cheese. She nodded when he didn't immediately continue. "We could watch old movies, I have unlimited access to all movie channels. We could have an encore of last night's performance." He raised an eyebrow, complete with the lascivious look she'd craved the night before. She smiled and took a bite to keep from laughing like a hyena, she didn't think that would come off as attractive. Her nerves were fried, she hoped the carbs would help calm them down. "I could take you somewhere for the day. Anywhere in a - say, two hour flight radius?"

Chloe swallowed the bite she'd been chewing and thought about all this. Her response shocked her. "Why?" Well, that wasn't exactly what she had planned to say. She tried again. "I mean, why are you being so- I'm not even sure what word to use here." So much for fixing it. She decided against speaking anymore.

"Romantic? Sweet? Caring? Charming?" He took a sip of his coffee and placed it back on the bedside table. "I guess you haven't heard about me being those things." She nodded, mentally rolling her eyes at herself. Why did she have to question everything? The journalist inside her needed to learn when to hide in the shadows. Why couldn't she just choose one of his crazily wonderful plans for the day and get on with it? He started to speak again and she stopped the mental monologue."Well, it's true I don't usually." He paused for a breath, "Care, that is." He shrugged and she spat her last sip of coffee out over the bed with a choked laugh.

"I'm so sorry." Her eyes were frantic and she grabbed for the napkins to blot up the mess. For some reason his blunt admission had hit her as absolutely hilarious. She desperately needed to get that coffee into her system and finish her bagel. She needed to be able to think clearly. Was that his game? Admit to being a pompous ass? Or was something making him feel at ease enough to speak openly? Either way, if she kept this up he'd be pushing her out the front door in record time. He would be done with her and her insanity.

She took a risk and glanced over at him, as she blotted at the coffee. His eyes were wide, his bagel almost touching his parted lips, frozen. He shook his head, blinked, and suddenly they both erupted into rolling laughter.


	3. Chapter 3

The spotlight from a helicopter above passed in front of him on the roof. Clark slipped behind an air conditioning unit and waited for it to move on. The noise was bad enough, but the wind it created sent long locks into his eyes. Aggravation was not something he handled well.

If someone were to ask him why he was jumping rooftops late at night instead of lying in the comfort of his bed watching TV, he wasn't sure he could answer them. He wasn't quite sure he knew the answer himself. In fact, last week he'd been perfectly content to sit at home and waste time channel surfing. He wasn't sure what had changed.

He knew that wasn't exactly true. He did know what had changed, technically. He had gone out to the club last weekend and ended up taking home a girl. Though that itself wasn't anything new, it turned out this girl wasn't just another nameless face. She was the cousin and roommate of the girl he desired most. Obviously, he was well aware of that fact when he walked up to her, initially hoping she wasn't alone. Upon realizing exactly why she _was_ there, and alone, he did the most logical thing he could and decided to take her home. The next morning when he awoke to her in his arms and realized that had never happened in the history of his sex life, he did the only thing he could and decided to pursue a relationship with her. They spent the entire weekend laid up in his loft, ordering take-out and watching classic movies.

What she didn't understand was that he only wanted to make her cousin jealous. And what he failed to understand was that it wasn't really that simple. No matter how hard he worked to keep any crazy thoughts of caring for her out of his head, his heart was already in too deep. He was oblivious to this, thinking that he was in complete control of himself - head, heart, and body. And yet...

You may be wondering what any of that has do with jumping from roof to roof in the shadows of the night. Everything. The new girlfriend-to-be happened to be a journalist. Not just a make-phone-calls-from-her-desk kind of journalist, but a go-out-at-night-and-sneak-around-dangerous-places type. She tended to get herself in, shall we say, interesting circumstances.

Tonight she was dressed in her simple, black ensemble peering through the broken window of an old abandoned warehouse deep in the heart of Suicide Slums. He was thankful this particular warehouse was empty, and currently being used by Morgan Edge.

If she were to publish a breaking news, front page article about all the crooked business dealings of Edge, that would be fine. In fact, Clark would be thankful. He was tired of trashing their hide-outs and ruining their stashes. Sometimes, on his little missions (sanctioned by his father), one of Edge's bigger guys would try to prove his allegiance and Clark would have to teach him a lesson. More often than not, they'd end up a pile of ashes being swept away by the breeze.

He had learned to only leave bodies behind when he was trying to send a message. He didn't send messages himself, those came from his father. So, anyone else that was determined to fight him to the death was granted their wish and their remains cremated.

Chloe's foot slipped on the rotting crate she was using as a step stool and she started to fall from her post. She was close to ten feet off the ground, and Clark knew that statistically, she was likely to break something if she landed on the pavement from that height. He had the urge to roll his eyes and it made him smile. She rolled her eyes a lot.

Still smiling, he rushed to slip a dirty old mattress he found hiding behind a dumpster in the same alley under her. Back on the roof above, he watched her land with an "oomph." She lifted her head, eyes wide, and searched for an explanation. She was well aware that the mattress had not been there seconds before she landed. He smirked at the shake of her head, sending the ends of her blonde curls rustling back and forth, before she pushed up off the mattress.

The smile that lit up her eyes scared him. Who in their right mind would be excited by a mattress randomly appearing out of nowhere? Even if it did happen to break their fall and in turn keep them from breaking a bone. She should be frightened by the unknown. She couldn't know that whoever or whatever had just saved her did so with good intentions. What if they saved her only to do worse to her? The fact that a being had the ability to do something so fast her human eyes had no chance of registering it should terrify her. Instead, she looked elated.

He was tempted again to roll his eyes, but instead just followed her by way of the roof to the street. She ducked out of the alley and down the street, keeping out of the lights as much as possible. He was impressed by how fluidly she slipped from shadow to shadow.

…

"Lo? You home?" Chloe pulled her toboggan off and shook out her hair. It really was too warm for knitted hats, but her bright blonde hair wasn't exactly great for stealth mode.

She moved into the living room and grabbed her laptop, sitting on the couch and placing it in her lap. She had to make a note that her latest target was empty. Morgan Edge seemed to be clearing out more and more of his real estate and she couldn't help but wonder why.

"I'm in the bathroom. Be out in a minute." Chloe glanced up at the sound of her cousin's voice.

She made a few notes and scanned over her list of locations, deciding where to check out next. She was certain one of the building on her list housed illegal weapons, and she was determined to get proof. A story like that would certainly separate her from the rest of the basement staff. Write-ups about abuse at the senior citizens' home was certainly important and commendable. It just didn't land you a front page article. And it certainly didn't set you on a path toward your first Pulitzer.

Uncovering dirt on one of Metropolis's biggest business men, however, was exactly that sort of story. She had a friend down at the police station who was filling her in on a few ongoing investigations involving different known associates of Mr. Edge. So, she had done a little research and dug up some less than dignified real estate owned by Edge's companies. For the past month she had been scoping out a different abandoned property almost every night.

That wasn't what she was anxious to talk to Lois about, though. The last few nights she had been out on the hunt, she had a feeling of being watched. At first it had frightened her. As the night had gone on though, the feeling turned more to one of security. She couldn't actually see anyone following her, or watching her. She just had this feeling that someone was there as back-up should she need them.

She was smart, and very good at her sneaking around to dig up info for a story. So, until tonight, she hadn't found herself in a situation that required help. It wasn't as if she had been chased by goons, or shot at, but she had fallen. Lois would not be happy that she had been careless enough to stand on a half rotten crate, but she had only wanted to glance through the window.

As she had fallen, staring at the ground rising up to meet her and forcing herself to keep quiet, the pavement had disappeared revealing instead a nice soft mattress. Sure, it wasn't exactly the cleanest bedding she'd ever seen, but it broke her fall. The fall itself couldn't have lasted longer than a second. Which meant the being that placed it there had to be paying attention. It also meant they moved at an insane speed. One second she was staring at hard, cold pavement, and the next a dingy, soft mattress. That was not normal.

Lois sat down next to her on the couch and waited. She looked up at her cousin, unable to wipe off the huge grin. Her lips split open into a full smile when her cousin rolled her eyes.

"What happened Chlo? I know that look."

"Well. I went to scope out a property on my list." She glanced back at her laptop to save her changes and closed it up. "And I fell." She stared back at the other woman.

"And? I know you, something weird happened didn't it?" Lois was a skeptic, but she hadn't lived in Smallville like Chloe had.

"Let's just say that I landed on a mattress that literally appeared as I landed." She knew her eyes were wide with excitement; she couldn't help it. "Lo. I'm being watched over. It's so scary and weird and amazing!"

"Wait. Wait, wait, wait. Hasn't every one of these weirdos you've encountered ended up psycho and trying to kill you or someone else?" Chloe sighed, losing a little of her happiness. Lois was right. So far, of all the meta-humans (for lack of a better title) she had encountered, half had ended up in Belle Reve Sanitarium and the other half had been sent to jail or killed in the process of detainment.

"Well, he saved me from breaking bones. That's got to count for something." She tried to keep the nerves out of her voice. She didn't want to admit that Lois was right.

"This person is following you. Chloe, that's not good. It's super creepy. They probably know where you live." She shuddered. "That means they know where I live. And thanks, because now I won't be able to sleep tonight!"

"I don't think they would have protected me just to harm me later." In all honesty, she had no proof to back up that statement. "I'll buy an extra dead bolt before class in the morning just in case." She tried a reassuring smile but had a feeling it came off more nervous.

Lois, already dressed in her pajamas, stood and walked down the hall to her room. Chloe sat on the couch, still holding her closed laptop. Maybe telling Lois tonight wasn't the best idea. Now, neither of them would get any sleep.

…

Lois laid on her bed, her phone pressed between her ear and shoulder. She had been studying for a psychology exam, but when Oliver had called it had been a welcomed distraction. They had been dating since the previous semester and even though they were young, Lois could feel that theirs was a love for the ages.

"So... she never came home last night. I'm just glad she texted so I didn't worry." Lois kicked her feet back and forth.

"Right, because of this person who's following her? You really think there's people out there with super-human abilities? Seems kinda SyFy channel to me." Lois grinned at Ollie's skepticism. He was a typical alpha male. He liked sports, was good with business, and didn't believe in anything out of the ordinary.

"She seemed pretty serious about it. And I've read all the articles about the things that have happened in Smallville. There's no denying that weird things happen there, a lot." She knew he wouldn't budge, but it was fun to spar with him.

"Weird things that can all be explained away." He was smiling, she could hear it.

"Anyhow. I was actually referring to her current story. The girl's convinced she's gonna bring down Morgan Edge." Lois scrunched her nose. "If she's right about this one, I'm gonna kick myself in the ass."

"Language!"

"Yeah, yeah. So, what are your plans for the rest of the day?"

…

Chloe snuggled into Clark's side a little deeper. She had gone to his place after her nightly surveillance the night before. Thanks to the conversation with Lois about her stalker, going home just didn't seem as comforting. Spending the night wrapped up in Clark's strong arms did.

When she had called him on her way out to the abandoned property to suggest an impromptu slumber party, she had half expected him to cough up a few excuses as to why it wasn't a good idea. Instead, he had offered to make a junk food run. The little ball of nerves in her chest loosened a little and she smiled.

She didn't have any classes on Thursday, and he seemed content skipping, so they'd laid around most of the day. He had ordered them a pizza for lunch and they had watched X-Files reruns all afternoon. She could have stayed there on the couch, cuddled up with him, for eternity. The fact that she needed to take a shower and change clothes was the only thing that made her sit up.

"It's getting late." She let her head roll over so that she was facing him.

"Late? It's barely evening." He reached out and ran his fingers down the back of her hair.

"But I haven't had a shower all day, and pretty soon my funk is going to burn a hole through this nice leather sofa." She quirked an eyebrow at him.

"Then I'll just buy a new one." The hand that had come to a rest on her back wrapped around her and pulled her back to him. "I can't smell anything. I think a shower can wait."

She really wanted to argue her point, but when he pressed his lips to her forehead and then her nose before finally kissing her lips, she gave up. He was pretty good at getting what he wanted. She was not very good at telling him 'no'. With his finger tips fluttering lightly over the skin of her arms, she could only sigh against his lips.

He pulled away and she blinked at him. The look on his face startled her. He looked … conflicted.

"Chloe." He pulled his bottom lip between his teeth. "I've really enjoyed this past week."

He paused again and she felt her stomach drop. She had known this wasn't going to last. Heck, she'd expected it to end the same night it started. It was just that, after spending so much time with him over the past few days, she didn't want it to end. Of course, she didn't want it to end. He was gorgeous, and smart, and funny, and knew what he was doing in the bedroom (and outside it).

"I know that we really just started hanging out and all." She wasn't sure why it was taking him so long to spit it out. All he really had to do was walk her to the door and say 'goodbye.' She'd take the hint.

…

Clark was screaming at himself. Spit it out already. It's words. That's all. You just have to say it. He couldn't understand why his tongue wasn't cooperating with his brain.

He'd never technically asked a girl out before. Not like, out, out. He'd convinced plenty of girls to go home with him. But trying to formulate the words to ask Chloe if maybe they could be exclusive was akin to trying to fly. Impossible wasn't a word that typically belonged in his vocabulary.

"It's just that, ugh." He looked into her eyes and she looked scared. _Great, she probably thinks I've lost it._

Clark tried again, taking a deep breath. "How would you feel about maybe us, seeing how _this_ goes?"

He waited a moment for a response, staring at his hand on her arm. When she didn't say anything he pulled his eyes up to hers again. Her mouth was slightly open, her eyes wide, and she looked lost. "I mean. I understand if you don't want to start anything serious. And like I said, we really don't know each other that well, yet. I just, I really like you." He hated himself at that moment. Not only did he sound like a blubbering fool, which just wasn't how a Luthor acted, but he meant every word of what he had said. Liking her wasn't really a part of his plan.

Really though, how could he be expected to carry on a relationship with someone he wasn't at least nominally attracted to? He should be allowed to enjoy his game of charades. He was lucky that Lois's cousin just happened to have a smile that lit up the room. Maybe, liking Chloe wasn't so much a bad thing. He was allowed to like her, he just couldn't let a relationship with her cloud his judgment. She was ultimately still just a pawn in his game.

"Are you asking me out? Like, maybe I'm not understanding exactly what you are asking me, but are you asking me if I want to date you?" The disbelief in her voice sounded alien. This girl believed anything was possible, he had picked up on that from her comments during the X-Files marathon.

"I'm not saying that we'd have to use titles or anything, just that if you'd like, maybe we could make this a regular thing?" He seriously needed to work on his skills in this particular department. He was a Luthor, and a confident person. He could walk into any club and walk out with the girl of his choice. Evidently, he just couldn't ask her to be his girlfriend.

"Right. Yeah. Of course, I'd like to see where this leads." She shrugged her shoulders and he couldn't help the disappointment at her seeming lack of enthusiasm.

"Great." He decidedly needed to be in a situation that he knew how to control, so he moved forward and captured her lips.

…

Chloe kissed him back, her mind spinning. She couldn't seem to believe what had just happened. Mr. Debonair had just stuttered his way through asking her out. It was hard to match that guy up with the one licking at her lips. He was such a confident, calculated person. His hands slid up under the front of her shirt and she let the thoughts go. Thinking was overrated in these situations.

In moments, he was laying her back onto the couch and pressing his body against her. His lips moved to her neck and she ran her hands up his sides arousing a gasp. He lifted himself up so that their faces were inches apart and smiled at her, all teeth and bright eyes. It was a smile that she hadn't seen before. As he moved in to kiss her again she realized it was a smile of elation. She could feel him still smiling against her lips and couldn't hold back a giggle.

He began to laugh too, his chest shaking as he rolled them around, sitting her on top. She watched him laugh, his eyes closed tight, and leaned down to kiss along his jaw. This man was something else. She wasn't sure how she had been lucky enough to end up here. She couldn't begin to imagine how long she would get to have this. She just knew that as long as he was willing to have her, she would stay right there.


End file.
